God’s Work, God’s Image, God’s Distinction

(Genesis 1:27)

Three Part Study

A serious reading of the early chapters of Genesis is crucial to the development, maintenance, instruction and obedience of faith. J. Sidlow Baxter was right. “The major themes of Scripture may be compared to great rivers, ever deepening and broadening as they flow; and it is true to say that all these rivers have their rise in the watershed of Genesis,” (“Explore The Book,” p.#23). An example of the practical value of teachings in Genesis is this familiar statement:

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them,” (Gen. 1:27). Three things stand out and require our attention:

God’s Work: “God created man.” This is the truth about our origin. God called into existence that which had no previous existence and the highest act of this divine work was to create human life. When you read the claims of the Bible, consider the evidence and decide that the document is the Word of God – you are glad to read Genesis 1:27 and accept this truth of man’s origin: “God created man.” As you hold this conclusion in your heart, you are doing what is described in Hebrews 11. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen . . . by faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible,” (Heb. 11:1,3).

Charles Darwin was a British naturalist, who lived from 1809 until 1882, and in his work The Descent of Man he asserted: “Man is descended from some lower form.”

This is just where the confusion begins for Darwin and his disciples. He changed, revised and sometimes contradicted his own theory. And Darwin’s “theory of evolution” evolved. Today, there are interpreters of Darwin who debate their interpretations. Some begin with specific observations of Darwin and build a scientific creed. They apply their interpretation of Darwin and label their fellows as either Darwinian, anti-Darwinian or neo-Darwinian (what we sometimes call “drawing lines of fellowship”).

There is a growing number of highly esteemed scientists who argue vigorously against Darwinianism (Michael Behe, Robert Jastrow, Phillip Johnson). There are scientific journals published today devoted to the theme of “Intelligent Design,” responding to the old Darwinian models. Thus, there are many, conflicting evolutionary doctrines claiming authority in Darwin, and many non-Darwinian models and theories now gaining more attention. Not all that is called “science” is academic and objective. Modern science is sometimes encumbered by myth, prejudice, politics, arrogance and human competition (just like modern religion).

So what am I to do? What can I believe? What should I teach my children? “God created man!” Hebrews 3:4 teaches that “every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.” When you study science, presented with validity and without human agenda, you are studying what God built. Good science yields agreement with the Genesis account, and in particular this affirmation: “God created man.”

Tomorrow – God’s Image